Staple strip



Nov. 22, "1938. R VOGEL y 2,137,467

- STAPLE STRIP Filed Aug. 2Q, `1936 l Fi INVENTOR Q FCLIQDLF VDH-1L..

ATTORNEY atented Nov. 22, T338 UNITED STATES` PATENT OFFICE 2,137,467s'rAPLE s'ran Rudolf Vogel, Cambridge, Mass.

Application Angustzii, 1936, Serial No. 96,984

3 Claims.

The present invention relates to staple strips, particularly intendedfor use in stapling machines of the type in which the staple strip isfedin the machine in flat relation, the staple forming portions of thestrip being formed into staple shape in the machine by bending thestaple legs downwardly from the strip before severing and driving of thestaple. These strips as heretofore constructed have usually been in theform of a sheet metal blank in which the staple forming portions wereintegral with each other, the integral connection between the stapleforming portions being broken by the staple forming and driving means ofthe machine. A machine 1i of this type is disclosed in the U. S. patentto C. A. Palxngren, for Stapling devices, No. 1,761,640 dated June 3,1930.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a staple strip inwhich the staple forming,

portions are not integrally connected but in the form of separate piecesof metal, and further to provide means connecting these pieces togetherin a strip, which means are adapted to be broken easily for the purposeof forming and severing the staple, but will at the same time providesuch a connection between the separate staple forming pieces of wire asto permit the strip to be handled without deformation or breakage andalso to be rolled.

To this end it is particularly proposed to provide metallic connectionmeans between the staple forming pieces, which connection means may besolder or a metallic coating, sprayed or electro-plated upon a series ofthe staple forming pieces arranged in contacting relation to form astrip, such coating forming a continuous integral surface Vupon thestrip. Such coating may be upon one or both sides, and may alsoextendbetween the staple forming pieces. As a modification it isproposed to provide a staplestrip in which the leg forming portions onlyof theA staple strip are connected, so that upon bending the leg formingportions by the shearing action which takes place in the machine, thestaple will be completely Asevered by such shearing action.

Another object is to provide a staple strip roll in which the windingsare adhesively retained together so that the roll will not unroll ofitself,

but will unroll readily as the strip is drawn from the roll.

With the above and other objects in view embodiments of the inventionare shown in the accompanying drawing, and these embodiments will behereinafter more fully described with reference thereto, and theinvention will be iinally pointed out in the claims.

In the drawing:

Fig. l is a side elevation of a staple strip according to my invention,showing the strip par- 5 tially rolled.

Fig. 2 is a. plan view of a portion of the strip.

Fig. 3 is an end view.

Fig. 4 is an end View showing the staple legs of one of the stapleforming pieces bent down- 10 wardly.

Fig. 5 is an end view showing the staple severed from the strip.

Fig. 6 is an enlarged sectional view of several staple forming pieces ofthe strip connected to- 15 gether` by coatings upon the upper and lowersurfaces.

Fig. 7 is a similar View showing the coating also disposed between theside surfaces of the staple forming pieces.v 20

Fig. 8 is a sectional View of a modiiied form of strip in which wire ofcircular cross-section is employed.

Fig. 9 is a plan view of a modified form of strip in which the stapleforming legs only are coated.`

Fig. 10 is an end view thereof.

Fig. 11 is an end view of a further modification, similar to themodification shown in Figs. 9 and 10, but having easily breakableadhesive applied thereto for retaining the bridge portions of the a0staples together and for also retaining the windings of the strip ofstaples when it is rolled.

Similar reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout theseveral figures of the drawing. 35

Referring to the drawing, the staple strip comprises a series ofseparate pieces of staple forming members IIJ, pointed at the ends, asat I I-I I, the pieces III being connected together in the form of astrip by a metallic coating I2 which may be 40 sprayed upon the upperand lower surfaces, electro-plated thereon, or otherwise applied, forin-- stance solder coatings may be applied to the surface of the stapleforming pieces and integrally connected by the application of heat.Instead of 45 applying the coating to both the upper and lower surfaceone sulsface only may be coated. Also, as shown in Fig. 7, the entiresurfaces of the staple forming pieces may be solder coated and connectedtogether by the application of heat. 50

In Fig. 8 I have shown the Wire pieces IIIa of circular cross-sectionconnected as in the other modifications by the metal coating I2.

While I have particularlyreferred to metal adhesive other material maybe used which will ac- 66 complish the same purpose in carrying out theinvention.

Due to the strong and exible connection between the separate stapleforming members provided by the metal coating the strip may be readilyrolled, as shown in Fig. 1. In order'to prevent unintentional unwinding,and also to maintain the windings oi the roll against displacement inthe stapling machine, the windings may be connected together by aneasily breakable adhesive I3 such as lacquer, glue, cellulose-acetate,or the like, applied between the windings. this adhesive being readilybroken as the strip is unwound.

As shown in Fig. 4 the staple is formed by ilrst bending down the legforming portions which are severed from the adjacent staple formingpiece by a shearing action, and then applying downward pressure upon thebridge oi the staple to sever the bridge from the adjacent stapleforming piece.

In Figs. 9 and 10 I have shown a modiiication in which the metal coatingi2 is applied only to the staple leg forming portions of the members I0.In this case the severing of the staple from the strip will beaccomplished entirely by the shearing,r action employed in bending downthe staple leg forming portions, the bridge portions being free. As afurther modiiication illustrated in Fig. 11 the bridge forming portionshave an easily breakable adhesive I3* such as lacquer, glue or the likeapplied between them, in which case the staple will not immediately befreed from the strip upon bending of the leg portions, but it requiresonly a very slight pressure of the staple driving to release it. Alsothe lacquer, glue, or the like, employ'ed for this purpose may beutilized for retaining the windings of the strip when it is rolled,

simply by rolling the strip before the adhesive dries.

I have illustrated and described preferred and satisfactory embodimentsoi' the invention, but it will be obvious that changes may be madetherein, within the spirit and scope thereof as dened in the appendedclaims.

Having thus described my invention what I claim and desire to secure byLetters Patent is:-

1. A staple forming strip comprising a plurality of non-integralstraight staple forming pieces arranged in a row, and breakable adhesivemeans applied as a coating to the leg forming portions only of saidstaple forming pieces whereby a staple forming piece becomes severedi'rom the adjacent piece in the row through the shearing action otbending the staple legs.

2. A staple forming strip comprising a plurality of non-integralstraight staple forming pieces arranged in a row, breakable adhesivemeans retaining said pieces together in ilat strip form, said stripbeing rolled. and separate adhesive means more easily breakable thansaid first adhesive means also retaining the windings oi the rolltogether.

3. A staple forming strip comprising a plurality of non-integralstraight staple forming pieces arranged in a row, and easily breakableadhesive means applied between the bridge forming portions of saidstaple forming pieces for retaining the staple in the strip upon bendingof the staple legs, said strip being rolled, said easily breakableadhesive means also adapted to retain the windings of the roll together.

RUDOLF VOGEL.

